File, binder, or the like.



W. A. COOKE, In. FILE, BINDER, OR THE LIKE- APPLICATION FILED APILZG. 1915.

m mm Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES; f. w fim W By Attorneys,

WILLIAM A. COOKE, JB., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FILE, BINDER, OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

Application filed April 26, 1915. Serial No. 24,089.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. CooKn, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Files, Binders, or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to files, binders,

loose leaf books or the like, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

In a prior patent granted to me on August 18, 1914:, No. 1,107,657, I have shown and described a binder having perforating means comprising a plurality of perforating apertures preferably located in the cover of the binder, over which the sheet to be perforated is placed, a movable flap or the like having similar apertures being arranged to be pressed down over the top of the sheet, and the actual perforation being made by a pencil or other similar article. The present invention relates to this type of binder and provides a perforating means which co-acts with the binding structure so that in the perferred form of the invention the file cover may be made imperforate. The invention also includes certain other features of improvement which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate one form of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan of a file or binder containing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section showing the clamping members in theiropen position' Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the binder as a whole, which usually comprises covers B and C, the binder being provided with a lower binding stri D carrying filing prongs E which are exible, and which are adapted to be passed through the letters or other papers to be filed. An upper binding strip F is also preferably provided, which is formed with slots G G (Fig. 2) which the filing prongs enter when itlie binder is closed. The prongs are bent over the top of the binding strip F and are held in place by clamps H H shown as pivoted to the binding strip F, and being more or less U-shaped in cross-section so as to embrace the strip. Preferably the strip 18 re inforced by a metal plate I, which is also of U-shape in cross-section.

In the application filed by me Serial No. 24,087 of even date herewith I have described and claimed broadly a device in Y which the perforating means is formed as a part of or located at the binding means thus described. The construction of the present application is illustrated in the aforesaid application as one of the forms of the invention.

According to the present invention the binding means form a part of the perforating means. The lower perforating apertures are in this instance preferably formed in the clamps II and are indicated by the reference letter J. These perforating apertures are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the filing prongs E E, so as to secure the same distance between the perforations in the paper as that between the prongs. The upper perforating apertures are preferably formed in a supplemental plate K. In other forms of the invention as shown in the aforesaid application, the upper member is hinged so that it can be thrown back out of the way. In the present form the plate K is not capable of such movement, but is a stationary plate preferably formed of the metal of the plate I. The plate K, however, is so constructed that it is spaced apart from the upper face of the plate I so as to admit the sheet to be perforated between them. The plate K may be formed of sufficiently flexible material, however, to permit its being pressed down over the letter sheet so as to hold the latter in place while the perforations are being made. The plate is provided with recesses M M which form guides for the pencil or other instrument which is used to puncture the paper, and such recesses may be complete apertures or holes if desired. However as the plate is fixed in position the use of complete apertures would render it diflicult to adjust the filing prongs beneath the plate, and for this reason I prefer to cut away the plate at O 0, so as to facilitate the operation of bending the prongs into and out of filing position. Hence the portions M are preferably formed as recesses as shown.

In order to facilitate the operation of pivoting the clamps H, I prefer to form holes P in the plate K through which the pivots of the clamps may be riveted.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that I do not Wish to be limited thereto, since various changes may be made therein Without departing from the invention.

, I claim as my invention 1. A file, hinder or the like having a cover, and binding means comprising filing prongs and means for clamping the prongs, and a perforating device comprising a plate independent of the cover fixed to the binding means and adapted to receive the sheet to be filed beneath it, said plate having'recesse's adapted to guide a pencil or the like by Which sueh sheet may be perforated.

2. A file, binder or the like having filing prongs and clamps for said prongs, said clamps having apertures, and a plate fixed above said clamps and adapted to receive the sheet ofpaper to be filed beneath it, said plate having recesses in alinement With said Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiv'e cents each; by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

apertures and adapted to guide a pencil or the like in perforating the sheet.

3. A file, binder or the like lljlV lllg filing prongs and a pair of pivoted clamps for said prongs, said clamps having apertures, a plate above said clamps, said plate having recesses adapted to guide a pencil or the like in perforating the sheet to be filed.

4. A file, binder or the like comprising filing prongs, clamps for said prongs, a plate on which said clamps are mounted, and a guiding plate formed integrally with said first named plate and having recesses adapted to guide a pencil or the like in perforating' the sheet of paper to be filed.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

I WILLIAM A. CO'OKE, J R. Witnesses A. T. GARLAND, M. S; MIDDLETON.

Washington, D. G. 

